Italia Estate, 2014

Un'estate molto bello ed attivo! Grandi familia ed amici! Grandi viaggi! Gio, Ale, Cicci, Angelo, Cinzia, Roby, Lisa, Shane, Suzi, Marc, Silvana, Anna, Thomas, Julie, Marc, Terry, Davide, Iaia, Gughi, Fats, Sara, Maria Grazie, Rita, Mauro, Chiara, Luciano, Teresa, Gian Carlo, Luciana, Giovanni, Ale, Michele e Maria (Hotel La Fenice)!
From Giovanni and Ale picking us up at Pisa Airport, to the 2nd Reunion of Mario's High School Classmates, to Mario's Business trip to Recanati, where we stay at the beautiful Gallery Hotel and eat at Borgo Antico, to Dinner at Le Sorelle Picchi with Cicci and Angelo (thanks to the Ragni's anniversary present to us), visits from Cinzia and Roby and also Lisa and Shane, then Suzi and Marc, back to Parma for San Giovanni feast, adding little Scruffy kitten to our household (after finding her in Mario's car's motor!), Diana visiting TRIS with Giacomo, visit from cousins from Bolzano (Thomas, Silvana and Anna), joined then by Cicci and Angelo, Julie and Marc (3 nights in Venice, lunch in Mantova with Terry, Davide, Iaia and Gughi, overnight in Parma with Cicci, Angelo, Ale and Giovanni, and then our one day trip to the Island of Giglio to see the Costa Concordia. Wow!
Lots of pictures of our dog, TRIS, and our baby cat, SCRUFFY.
Lauren Costa and her friend, Mattie, come visit us. Dinner with Angela and Giorgio.
Off to Firenze to visit Maria Paola, Rosangela and Libo, and Silvia!.
Dinner in Colonnata with Cinzia, Roby, Iaia and Gigi at Da Venanzio. Beautiful picture of Giacomo (Diana and Marco's son). Cinzia and Roby come back to visit. Ina comes for a month! And, we (Cicci, Ina, Mario and I) go on 8 day trip to Provence, visiting Christian and Nicole, then Josee (in Lutry, Switzerland), who all wine and dine us. Then on to Bolzano, Italy to be with our cousins, Thomas, Silvana and Anna. Check out the llamas up in the hills over Bolzano!
Back to Le Grazie. Ale eand Gio visit us, and we go see the amazing (!!!!!) fireworks at La Spezia. For the first time in 60 years our town, Le Grazie, won the Palio competition.
The Super Moon gives me practice on moon photography.
Michele's amazing and wonderful birthday party, way up in the hills over La Spezia. A brief trip to Moneglia to visit Mauro and Lili. Then Ina's niece, Marta, from California arrives to swim the Coppa Lord Byron (amazing feat: from Portovenere across the Bay of La Spezia, to Lerici). First night we go to dinner given by Posidonia.l
Up we go to the Campo Cecina, overlooking everything, followed by Ina, Marta and we to dinner again at Da Venanzio in Colonnata!
Also, we go to Cinque Terre, lunch, as usual at Belforte in Vernazza.
We then take a really special trip to Florence (Marta, Ina, and I...no Mario), where I meet with my dear Luis and his wonderful wife (on honeymoon cruise), Marilia.
Michele and his donkey/burro.
Marta off to the competitive swim. she is number 114. She receives several prizes, one for being the person who came from the farthest for the race! She was amazing!!!!
Now the pictures of Karla, Tony and Daniel.
Brief lunch with Mariangela and Eleonora in Tellaro.
Cinzia returns with son Gheraldo. We have a great dinner with the Carpenas.
Last pictures are of Ale, Gio, Cinzia, Gherardo and the two of us at Pozzale.
What a great, eventful summer!
With love,
Joan